Tag: India

  • ‘Take a plane for Tiktok videos’, Kangana Ranaut thinks Qatar Airways spoof video is ‘real’

    ‘Take a plane for Tiktok videos’, Kangana Ranaut thinks Qatar Airways spoof video is ‘real’

    Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut seems to have fallen for a spoof, again.

    Spoof video

    After Qatar rebuked India for the derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, #BycottQatarAirways started trending on Indian Twitter.

    An Indian Twitter user ‘Vashudev’ posted a video calling for the boycott of Qatar Airways.

    Later, a spoof video with Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker replying to Vashudev’s boycott call in an interview with Al Jazeera went viral.

    “Vashudev is our biggest shareholder with a total investment of ₹634.50 rupees. We don’t know how to operate anymore. We have grounded all the flights … we are requesting Vashudev to take this call for boycott back. This is a special kind of boycott because it is b-y-c-o-t-t. Vashudev habibi, we are willing to give you one whole plane to make your TikTok videos or maybe we can give you two litres of petrol free. Please consider our offer and take the boycott back,” Qatar Airways CEO’s voiceover says in the spoof video.

    Kangana shares spoof video on Instagram

    After the spoof video went viral, Kangana Ranauat shared it on her Instagram stories, thinking the video is ‘real’.

    “This idiot of a man has no shame bullying a poor man mocking his insignificance and place in the world…Vasudev may be poor and insignificant for a rich man like you but he has the right to express his grief, pain and disappointment in whatever context it may be… remember there is a world beyond this world where we all are equal,” wrote Kangana in one of her Insta stories.

    She continued: “All so called Indians who are cheering this bully for making fun of a poor man remember this is exactly why you all are a big bojh [burden] on this over populated country.”

    Kangana later deleted her Instagram stories after journalist and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair informed her that it was a voiceover video made by an Indian.

    Kangana shares fake Shehbaz Sharif screenshot

    This is not the first time that Kangana has fallen for fake news.

    In May, Kangana shared a screenshot on her Instagram stories that featured Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s praise for her craft and performance in Dhaakad.

    However, the screenshot featured an imposter account of PM Shehbaz and not the real one.

    READ MORE: Did Shehbaz Sharif praise Kangana Ranaut? Indian actress shares screenshot

  • ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    ‘World should severely reprimand India’: Muslim countries condemn BJP’s derogatory remarks about Holy Prophet (PBUH)

    After hashtags calling for the boycott of Indian products began trending on Twitter in Arab countries over derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons Nupur Sharma and Naveen Kumar Jindal, India’s ruling party suspended Sharma and expelled Jindal. The two also issued public apologies after the reaction from the Arab world. Qatar, Kuwait, and Iran have summoned Indian envoys while Saudi Arabia and  Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have issued statements against the two BJP spokespersons.

    World should take note and severely reprimand India: Shehbaz Sharif

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the derogatory remarks recently made by two leaders of India’s BJP against the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

    PM Sharif wrote: “Have said it repeatedly India under Modi is trampling religious freedoms and persecuting Muslims. The world should take note & severely reprimand India.”

    He added that Muslims’ love for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is supreme and that all Muslims can sacrifice their lives for the love and respect of their Prophet (PBUH). 

    Pakistan Armed Forces strongly condemn blasphemous remarks by Indian officials

    The official media wing of the Pakistan army condemned the derogatory remarks of the BJP leaders. “The outrageous act is deeply hurtful and clearly indicates extreme level of hate against Muslims and other religions in India.”

    Indian chargé d’affaires summoned by Pakistan

    Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari took to Twitter and said, “Indian Cd’A summoned to convey Pakistan’s rejection and strong condemnation of the derogatory remarks by BJP officials against Prophet Muhammad PBUH. BJP leadership and GOI must condemn the sacrilegious comments and hold those responsible to account.”

    Pakistan condemns India

    Pakistan has strongly condemned the disrespectful remarks recently made by two senior officials of India’s ruling party BJP, disrespecting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). 

    “These totally unacceptable remarks have not only deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pakistan but of billions of Muslims around the world,” read the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    “BJP’s attempted clarification and belated and perfunctory disciplinary action against these individuals cannot assuage the pain and anguish they have caused to the Muslim world. Muslims residing in India are equally outraged by the completely repugnant comments by the two BJP officials. The ensuing communal violence in Kanpur and in other parts of India bears testimony to this fact.”

    Pakistan urged India to ensure that decisive and demonstrable action is taken against those responsible for making derogatory remarks and attacking the dignity of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). India must also take immediate steps to protect its minorities from human rights violations, ensure their safety, security, and well-being and allow them to profess and practice their faiths in peace.

    “Pakistan once again calls on the international community to take immediate cognisance of the grievously aggravating situation of Islamophobia in India. India must be held accountable for stifling the rights of the minorities, especially Muslims, to practice their faith and religious beliefs,” said the Foreign Office spokesperson.

    Arab world’s condemnation over derogatory remarks

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar summoned the Indian Ambassador and handed over an official note on Qatar’s total rejection and condemnation of the remarks of Sharma and Kumar.

    The Kuwaiti Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Indian ambassador and handed him an official protest note expressing the State of Kuwait’s rejection and denunciation of the controversial remarks made by an official in the ruling party in India against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Islam, and Muslims.

    Saudi Arabia described the spokesperson’s comments as “insulting” and called for “respect for beliefs and religions”, according to a foreign ministry statement.

    The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also condemned the remarks, saying they came in a “context of intensifying hatred and abuse towards Islam in India and systematic practices against Muslims”.

  • Rape jokes are not a sign of masculinity

    Rape jokes are not a sign of masculinity

    Last week anchors Imran Riaz Khan and Sami Ibrahim were condemned for making homophobic and rape jokes just because the ‘boys club’ could not have a decent debate and in return thought it was okay to make fun of child abuse and rape. The anchors, in order to avoid being interviewed by journalist Matiullah Jan, insinuated that the interviewer was raped in the army barracks back when he was a cadet at the Pakistan Military Academy. Imran and the group of journalists around him, including anchorperson Sami Ibrahim, could be heard laughing and ridiculing Jan, who then challenged them all to invite him on their shows. This incident made us see so-called ‘civilised men’ making rape jokes, clearly reflecting how a sensitive subject like rape and abuse was nothing more than a joke for them. The men seen in the video laughing about someone being raped are not only disgusting, but triggering for those who have actually gone through sexual violence.

    Read more: ‘Such mean tactics can’t deter me from asking questions’: Matiullah reacts to rape comments by Journalists

    Recently, two advertisements of a perfume company in India glorifying rape culture were taken down by the Indian ad regulatory body, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). In one of the ads, four men can be seen entering a store. They are shown having a dispute over who will take a ‘shot’. There are four of them, but only one ‘shot’ is available. During this debate, instead of the bottle of body spray, a woman is shown and it looks like they are having an argument over who will first rape the woman. The woman even turns around in anger, believing the four men are talking about her. However, she is then shown relieved, when one of the men picks up the body spray called ‘Shot’.

    Read more: Promoting rape culture through ads, Indian perfume company faces backlash

    What is most appalling in the scenarios discussed is how normally it is being engrained in our society that promoting rape or making rape jokes is a trait of masculinity. We need to understand that women and men are afraid of sharing their ordeal when they are sexually assaulted because society ridicules them instead of showing empathy. The question remains, why? Why is society not accepting of the person who has been raped? Why do we find the need to ridicule and shame them? When will people understand that it is the rapist who needs to be rebuked, punished, and questioned, not the survivor. The day our society learns to provide the strength where it is required and stand with the survivors of sexual assaults, no one will be frightened to talk about their horrific experiences. It is time to stand up for all victims.

  • ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    ‘Hindutva pop’: the anti Muslim saffron groove for violent mobs

    Orange garments, violent hate speech against Muslims, multiple instruments and consistent chanting constitute the anatomy of a basic Hindutva pop song. Swaddled in gold and saffron, Laxmi Dubey, one of the most popular Hindutva pop artists has uploaded several music videos on YouTube with millions of views, where she engages in anti-Muslim sloganeering, direct attacks on Islamic injunctions, the state of Pakistan, hateful statements regarding the issue of Kashmir and Modi and BJP’s political aggrandization.

    What’s concerning is not just that people like Laxmi Dubey are some of the most popular national icons in India at the moment, but also the fact that through her green screen music videos, YouTube monetization and public shows, she is estimated to be earning 68 Lacs per year. Dubey’s most-listened to song has more than 50 million views. But there is an ensemble of popstars just like her.

    Laxmu Dubey, 30, Hindutva popstar living in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.

    Following the 2014 election victory for Bharatiya Janata Party, the country has embarked on a journey of extreme polarization and radical hate against Muslims, Islam and Pakistan. Dubey’s words “Hindustan mein rehna hai tou vande matram kehna seekho” [Translation: If you want to live in India, learn how to say Vande Matram] epitomize perfectly the jingoistic philosophy of nationwide hatred for the Muslim community. In this political atmosphere, films, music, poetry and other forms of art all turned in service of the most influential political campaign of the time.

    Krishnavanshi is another such musician whose songs often embody the strongly felt sentiment of expelling all Muslims from the India and sending them “back” to Pakistan, which is neither their home country nor where they want to live. These songs are akin to a full-fleged battle cry, announcement of an all out war against Muslims and Islamic identity formations, attacking historical symbols of the Mughal-era and contemporary national symbols of Pakistan, rallying violent support against the Muslims of India.

    The famous juvenile Jamia shooter from India rose to prominence when he was apprehended on January 30, 2020 for opening fire at a crowd of unarmed protestors from Jamia. He is also an associated to the famous Hindutva militant leader Deepak Tyagi, who alleged that a 10 year-old Muslim boy, who had accidentally wandered into a temple, was a trained killer. This Jamia shooter and his friends have recorded videos of abduction and assault against Muslims in India which are played against the backdrop of the Hindutva ‘pop’ music. These videos are viral on Indian social media and are standing in to exemplify the far-reaching impact of music on politics and vice versa.

  • Maggi case: Man divorces woman for serving him noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner

    Maggi case: Man divorces woman for serving him noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner

    A unique divorce case has made news in the Indian media, in which a husband divorced his wife for cooking noodles every day. The principal district and sessions court judge in Mysuru, ML Raghunath, shared the details of the case while recalling his time as district judge at Ballari.

    He termed the case as “Maggi case”.

    An Indian judge of the chief district and session court while quoting the husband said, “It was noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He complained that his wife went to the provision store and brought only instant noodles.”

    “Divorce cases are increasing drastically over the years. Couples have to stay together for at least a year before seeking divorce,” he added. According to him, if there was no such rule, the divorce petitions would be filed directly from wedding halls.

  • Kashmir freedom fighter Yasin Malik sentenced to life imprisonment

    Kashmir freedom fighter Yasin Malik sentenced to life imprisonment

    Mohammed Yasin Malik, 54, founder of the organization Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front who was accused and charged with participating in alleged ‘acts of terrorism, illegally raising funds, being a member of a “terrorist organization”, terrorism financing, criminal conspiracy and sedition’, has now been sentenced to life in imprisonment.

    On 19 March, Judge Praveen Singh set May 25 as the date for hearing arguments from both sides and sentencing. She also directed Malik to provide an affidavit regarding his financial assets. JKLF reports that while in court, Malik said, “Terrorism-related charges leveled against me are concocted, fabricated and politically motivated.”

    The case is based on events from the 1990s when Malik and his associates were charged with the kidnapping of Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989 and the killing of four Indian Air Force officers in 1990.

    Malik’s wife Mushaal Malik also appeared in a press conference in Islamabad, alongside PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb. She spoke of the severely unjust treatment that the Indian government is subjecting on her husband, absolutely restricting the family from communicating with him and taking away his right to a free and fair trial. She demanded that her husband’s case be tried in the International Court of Justice and requested the United Nations to take action and establish an inquiry into this case.

    On Monday, the Pakistani Senate passed an unanimous resolution condemning the case against Hurriyat leader and expressing solidarity with his family. The resolution was tabled by former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

    Cases against Yasin Malik

    Malik, who has been kept under arrest at New Delhi’s Tihar Jail was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in April 2019, when he was already in jail for violating the Indian Public Safety Act, according to which one can be jailed for an entire year without any trial.

    Malik, along with seven others, is charged with killing four Indian Air Force officers in 1990. However, their counsel has argued that since the group announced a unilateral ceasefire in 1994, the charge is not true.

    Secondly, Malik is accused of abducting the then federal home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter, Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989. Both of these cases have been presented in courts by the NIA under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act [TADA].

    Unfair trial

    Despite there being no cases or new charges against Malik and his group throughout the BJP government, the court is now rushing through to reach sentencing in the trial.

    In his open letter from prison, Malik wrote, “Though I have every legal right to be presented physically before the court, but the judge and the CBI at the behest of government are not allowing me to present myself before the trial court physically. I am being presented through video conference, where neither I am able to hear the arguments of the lawyers nor am I being allowed to speak.”

    Commenting on the speed with which the case is being tried, Malik’s lawyer Tufail Raja told Al Jazeera, “When you reopen a 30-year-old case and pursue it at a fast pace in a bid to hastily produce judgement, you can understand the intentions of this government.” He added “This is a political rather than a judicial move.” 

    The verdict

    Leading up to the announcement of the verdict, people had started coming out on the streets in Kashmir, on either side of the issue – in his support as well as those against him. The court also imposed various fines including a 5,000 INR and a 10,000 INR fine on Yasin Malik, along with two life imprisonment sentences, which will both run simultaneously.

    DG ISPR and wife Mushaal Malik have vehemently condemned this decision on Twitter and held up Kashmir’s right to self determination.

  • Gold prices in Pakistan hit historic high of Rs143,600 per tola

    Gold prices in Pakistan hit historic high of Rs143,600 per tola

    Gold prices in Pakistan continued to rise as the Pakistani currency fell deeper versus the US dollar, pushing the precious metal to a high of Rs143,600 per tola.

    The price of gold per tola increased by Rs1,950 per tola, as per the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association (ASSJA). Moreover, the price per 10 gramme jumped by Rs1,672 to Rs123,114.

    Following yesterday’s gain of Rs1,950 per tola, the gold price has risen by Rs5,250 in the last four days (Friday-Tuesday).

    During the current economic crisis, gold has resurfaced as a secure investment, and consumers have been eagerly buying gold to preserve their savings against inflation.

    The rupee’s collapse, which reached an all-time low of Rs201.41 versus the US dollar in the interbank market, compelled the gold trading body to drastically raise the bullion price.

    The price of yellow metal fell by $4 per ounce on the international market to settle at $1,858. When compared to the Dubai market, gold prices in Pakistan are roughly Rs1,500 lower.

  • Beggar gifts PKR 234,000 motorbike to wife, both continue begging together

    Beggar gifts PKR 234,000 motorbike to wife, both continue begging together

    A beggar from Madhya Pradesh begged for four years and purchased a motorcycle worth Rs234,000 (INR90,000) for his wife.

    He spent all of his savings on the bike as his wife complained about a backache from sitting on the tricycle he owned earlier. This story is from Amarwara village, where the beggar, Santosh Sahu, expressed his love for his wife by purchasing a small motorcycle.

    Sahu is a disabled man who rides a tricycle and begs for money with his wife, Munni Sahu. Munni drags Sahu’s tricycle forward while the two beg.

    Munni would occasionally fall while attempting to push the tricycle due to the poor road conditions. As a result, Santosh decided to purchase her a moped.

    The pair begs for money at different spots from bus stops to mosques and temples, earning up to Rs1,000 (400 INR) per day. Santosh began saving money every day in order to purchase his wife’s dream bike. The couple is now back to their regular practise of begging in their freshly purchased motorcycle.

  • Aishwarya, Deepika slay with red carpet looks at the Cannes Film Festival

    Aishwarya, Deepika slay with red carpet looks at the Cannes Film Festival

    Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone graced the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival.

    Cannes 2022 LIVE Updates: Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone make stunning appearances on Day 3 of the event

    Both the leading ladies attended the screening of Armageddon Time on Thursday

    Aishwarya Rai and Deepika Padukone on the Cannes red carpet.

    The Piku diva showed up in a sultry red gown and Rai managed to grab all attention with her shocking pink dress on the third day of the Cannes Film Festival.

    Arriving for the screening, they posed for pictures just minutes apart from each other.

    Deepika wore a Louis Vuitton dress with thin straps, a peplum top and a big skirt. She also wore a delicate diamond necklace and tied her hair in a stylish ponytail. Aishwarya chose her favourite mermaid-style silhouette for her pink dress. What asked to everyone’s attention was an enormous shell-shaped structure that hung behind her shoulders.

  • Court allows divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to husband

    Court allows divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to husband

    An Indian state Chhattisgarh High Court bench granted a decree of divorce on grounds of mental cruelty to the husband.

    The court declared that if a wife insists that her husband to get separated from his parents and threatens to implicate him in a false dowry demand case, it would be counted as mental cruelty.

    Justices Goutam Bhaduri and NK Chandravanshi heard a petition filed by a husband challenging the order passed by a Family Court in 2017 by which his plea seeking divorce on the ground of cruelty was rejected.

    The judges noted that the marriage of the couple hardly worked for two months. The wife often left her matrimonial house as she wanted to live alone with her husband who made several attempts to reconcile but in vain.

    “In such a lower middle-class family, it is the responsibility of the eldest son to take care of his elderly parents, as he has deposed also in his statement. In such a situation, if the wife persistently creates constraints upon the husband to get separated from his family and to live with her at her parental house and also threatened him that, otherwise she will implicate him in the dowry case, it, itself amounts to mental cruelty on the husband,” the high court remarked.

    The Family Court was unjustified in making such an observation, the court said.